A lot of people call Camilla Parker Bowles a lot of names. Mistress, homewrecker, unworthy — you name it, she dealt with it.
Despite all the hate, she got from people, especially those who love and support Princess Diana, one thing is for sure — Camilla is the one that Prince Charles wants to be with. The Prince of Wales may have married the mother of his children, but his heart always belonged to the Duchess of Cornwall.
Camilla was married to British Army officer Andrew Parker Bowles from 1973 to 1995. Prince Charles settled with Diana Frances Spencer, who was 13 years his junior and married her from 1981 to 1996.
Many rooted for the Prince and Princess of Wales, especially after they welcomed their boys Prince William and Prince Harry. However, it was quite evident that there was no love in their union.
Prince Charles eventually followed his heart and resumed his relationship with former girlfriend Camilla. Princess Diana, on the other hand, was also romantically involved with British cavalry officer and family's former riding instructor James Lifford Hewitt.
Queen Elizabeth wanted Camilla Parker Bowles out of Prince Charles’s life after the untimely death of Princess Diana in 1997. However, the Prince of Wales made it clear that the Duchess of Cornwall will always be a part of his life and it’s non-negotiable.
“It was nothing personal,” Penny Junor, royal biographer and author of “The Duchess: The Untold Story,” wrote. “She had been very fond of Camilla in all the years she had been married to Andrew, but it was Camilla who had been responsible, wittingly or not, for all the disasters that had befallen the prince since his marriage.”
Prince Charles celebrated his 50th birthday, a year after Princess Diana’s death, and Queen Elizabeth didn’t invite Camilla to his celebration. “The public display of warmth between them that night belied the real situation. The Prince was infuriated by his mother’s continued hostility towards the woman he loved,” Junor said.
But things got a lot better after several years and Queen Elizabeth even allowed Prince Charles and Camilla to tie the knot in 2005. Her Majesty and her son’s second wife bonded over the years. Although reports revealed that Prince William and Prince Harry had a hard time accepting the Duchess of Cornwall into their lives, they eventually formed a good relationship.
